Introduction

Estate planning is a strong part of our practice.  Estate planning is a relatively simple three step process.  The first step is the initial meeting.  The second step is the drafting and review of the estate plan documents.  The third step is the signing of the wills and related documents.  

Initial Meeting

This meeting will take approximately one and one half hours.  The meeting is your opportunity to meet your attorney and ask questions, and it is the attorney's opportunity to learn information that will be essential to the preparation of your estate plan documents.  

Your attorney will want to learn about your assets and liabilities, your wishes for distribution of your estate, and your decisions as to fiduciaries, such as executor, trustee, and guardian.  You will be asked to name alternates and you should give this some thought before the initial meeting.  Our Bring List page is an excellent resource to determine what documents you need to bring with you for the initial meeting.  

Drafting And Review

Your lawyer does the drafts and you do the review.  The drafts will likely include a will, an affidavit, and a living will or health care power of attorney.  You may be interested in reviewing a sample will.  Please note that you should not attempt to print out the sample will, sign it, and assume you will have a valid and enforceable will under the laws of the State of Georgia.  

You may also want to request a General Durable Power of Attorney, and special irrevocable trusts, or other documents.  

You review the documents, request corrections or modifications, and once you have a set of documents everyone is happy with, you set an appointment to come in for execution of your will and related documents.  

Signing

The third step in the estate planning process is the will signing, lawyers call this execution.  This meeting takes place in your lawyer's office, will typically take less than one half hour, and is quite straightforward.  

Estate Tax

For a more in depth of discussion of estate planning topics and terminology with a focus on estate taxation please see our Estate Tax pages.  

Send mail to davidjreed@davidjreed.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: December 05, 2006